With almost 1 million British children having been scammed online in 2024, online harm expert Catherine Knibbs shares her top tips for parents of young people looking to stay safe and secure while on the net.
A Vodafone UK study commissioned as part of Safer Internet Day 2025 found that 4 in 10 young people say their biggest fear when going online is scammers stealing their personal information, identity or money.
And, with 81% of parents saying their children faced long-lasting impacts – such as anxiety, depression and mood swings – having been scammed online, Vodafone enlisted the help of cybertrauma expert Catherine Knibbs to learn how they could better protect themselves.
1. Be compassionate
Being scammed is a form of betrayal and deceit, and can even feel like the young person’s world has ended. They might be sad, angry or have anxious feelings as a result. Listen, don’t blame or shame them, and show an understanding that the trickster is a master of deceit. Being scammed is not uncommon and can happen to anyone, as Vodafone’s research shows.
2. Woah…before go
Teaching young people to listen to their feelings can help them spot if something is real or not. This is a behaviour I call ‘woah before go’. Time pressure is also a telltale sign of a scam, so teach them that any post or person rushing them to make a decision can signal a scam. Help them understand that, if something doesn’t feel right (such as if their body feels uncomfortable or they have a sinking feeling in their stomach), then this is likely a sign that what they are reading is untrustworthy. Encourage them to check it out by asking another person or an adult – or use a search engine to look up the person or company involved.
3. Sleep on it
Likewise, remind young people that, if they see something that needs them to pay money or give information immediately, they should take some time away to consider if they really need to. Scams can often ask for information or money ‘right now’ – creating a feeling of missing out – so encourage them to take some time away and decide tomorrow, after a sleep. They’ll likely find they feel differently the day after, and this can help slow down the speedy decisions that scams play on. Slow down, sleep, and select intentionally what you click on or buy.
4. Say something and speak out
If a young person has been scammed, it’s likely that they will feel betrayed, stupid or ashamed. These feelings can prevent them from reporting a scam. Use the reporting features on tech platforms, and use Action Fraud to report it too. I even got scammed once, so it can happen to tech savvy people! Your child may be fearful you will tell them off, so have regular conversations about how tricksters act online and that you understand it can happen to anyone.
5. The scammers are the bad guy
For parents, carers and teachers, you can help by learning that tricksters are deceivers of human emotions – they play on young people’s feelings of excitement, fear and shame. If a young person thinks they can win something that will help them gain friends or be popular, then you can see the logic in clicking or sharing information. By letting them know that we understand the trickster is the one who ‘should be in trouble’, rather than them, we can provide a safe space to converse with them about scams. This will make them more likely to tell us when it happens next.
6. Check out useful resources
Educate yourself and check out helpful resources that can aid in your goal of educating young people about online safety. Vodafone’s Digital Parenting Hub, for example, has tools and resources including an online safety toolkit created in conjunction with the NSPCC, which offers support to families so they can have online safety conversations. Also take a look at Vodafone’s free e-book, featuring new fables for the digital age.
If you want to do more, Vodafone is supporting Global Action Plan’s call on the UK Government to protect children from scammers by making the internet ‘safe by design’.
Show your support by asking your local MP to stand up for online safety, and visit the Global Action Plan website to take action.
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